Upholding IVF Rights Essential for Securing Reproductive Freedom

Upholding IVF Protections is Essential to Securing Reproductive Freedom

March 5, 2024 By Dr. Gabriela Aguilar - Medical Director, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York

Dr. Gabriela Aguilar with Senator Gillibrand

As reproductive health care providers witnessing the relentless erosion of abortion rights, we knew that personhood laws med at restricting access would eventually infiltrate our fields of practice, including In Vitro Fertilization IVF. Over time, we've seen political agas chip away at reproductive freedom through tactics such as invading privacy, dismissing scientific evidence, insulting healthcare professionals, and now, meddling in personal decisions about family-building.

I am writing this as an Obstetrician-Gynecologist who has spent decades providing both maternal care and abortion services, as well as someone going through fertility treatment myself. From my experiences of guiding countless individuals through the complexities of deciding to become or not become parents, I can confidently state that patients are fully capable of making informed decisions without politicians imposing their values on them.

When a patient decides to undergo IVFa procedure rooted in years of scientific advancementit signifies a deeply personal choice made after navigating through numerous challenges. IVF is often a beacon of hope for LGBTQ+ couples, single individuals choosing autonomy over parenthood, and those struggling with infertility.

The chaos that ensued following the introduction of these restrictive laws was profoundly devastating for many trying to realize their dreams of family expansion or building their families at all. Imagine receiving a call after years of emotional investment, dly appointments, invasive procedures, and anxiety wting for test results, only to learn that your cycles had been indefinitely susped due to fear of legal repercussions. The mental anguish this caused was palpable.

As healthcare professionals, we see the harms inflicted by decisions made with ill-informed motives. When abortion bans start to roll out, causing widespread confusion across states, and now IVF regulations are being targeted, it feels like a calculated effort to create harm and chaos in society. The stories of patients struggling to access care under restrictive lawsboth within accessible states like New York and beyondare harrowing.

The relentless campgn agnst reproductive rights is moving towards criminalizing every stage of pregnancyfrom abortion, fertility treatment, contraception, to ger-affirming care. This dangerous trajectory disproportionately impacts Black, indigenous, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and low-income communities, putting them at risk despite their autonomy being upheld in law.

On behalf of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York and our diverse patient community, I want to express gratitude to Senator Gillibrand, State Senator Hoylman-Sigal, and all champions who ensure reproductive healthcare remns accessible for everyone. It is vital that we unite agnst attempts to ban any aspect of reproductive care because the autonomy lies with those seeking these services.

Our call is clear: BANs OFF OUR BODIES means ALL bans on reproductive healthcare services must be stopped, from IVF to abortion, contraception, and beyond. Patients understand their own reproductive goals better than politicians or legal systems ever will.

Dr. Gabriela Aguilar

that this is a re-written version of the original text with some language adjustments for clarity and fluency in English:

Preserving IVF Access as a Critical Component of Reproductive Freedom

March 5, 2024 By Dr. Gabriela Aguilar - Medical Director, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York

Dr. Gabriela Aguilar alongside Senator Gillibrand

As reproductive healthcare providers who have witnessed the erosion of abortion rights, we understood that efforts to restrict access would eventually encroach upon our practices including In Vitro Fertilization IVF. Over time, various political tactics have chipped away at reproductive freedoms by invading privacy, dismissing scientific evidence, undermining healthcare professionals' expertise and now intervening in personal decisions about family formation.

I write this as both an Obstetrician-Gynecologist with decades of experience providing maternal care, abortion services, and personal insight into IVF procedures. From guiding individuals through the complex decision-making process of parenthood or non-parenthood, I firmly believe that patients are competent to make informed choices without political interference.

The introduction of restrictive laws has caused immense distress for many attempting to realize their dreams of family expansion or building a family altogether. Imagine receiving news after dedicating years to emotional investment, dly appointments, invasive procedures, and the anxious anticipation of test resultsonly to learn that your IVF cycles are now indefinitely on hold due to legal concerns.

As healthcare professionals witnessing this chaos, it is evident that decisions with ill-informed motives cause significant harm. When abortion bans start proliferating and now ext to IVF regulations, we perceive a calculated effort to create widespread disruption. Stories of patients struggling to access care under restrictive laws within accessible states like New York reveal the extent of suffering.

The campgn agnst reproductive rights is moving towards criminalizing every stage of pregnancyfrom abortion, fertility treatments, contraception, ger-affirming careand beyond. This trajectory disproportionately impacts marginalized communities including Black, indigenous, Latinx, LGBTQ+, and low-income groups by risking their autonomy despite legal protections.

On behalf of Planned Parenthood of Greater New York and our diverse patient base, I express gratitude to Senator Gillibrand, State Senator Hoylman-Sigal, and other champions for ensuring that reproductive healthcare remns accessible. The message is clear: BANs OFF OUR BODIES means any attempt to ban aspects of reproductive care must be stopped.

Our call is for unity agnst the efforts to impose bans on every form of reproductive carefrom IVF to abortion, contraception, ger-affirming services, and more because the autonomy lies with those seeking these services themselves.

Dr. Gabriela Aguilar

The revised text mntn the original meaning while ensuring clarity and fluency in English, focusing on key points and mntning a consistent tone throughout the piece.
This article is reproduced from: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-greater-new-york/blog/the-dangerous-criminalization-of-reproductive-freedom-starts-with-ivf

Please indicate when reprinting from: https://www.94wn.com/Fertility_IVF/Reproductive_Freedom_IVF_Conservation.html